You and Me
by Drosselmeyer's Ancestor
Summary: Four years have passed, and No.6 has been changed into a peaceful city-state thanks to the prowess of Shion and his board of leaders. West Block has the prosperity of Lost Town, and violence is low. Shion has always been waiting. Working and waiting. Nezumi/Shion fic, may change ratings later
1. Prologue

Standing atop the crumbling ruin of what once was the Holy City's wall, he could see everything. Lost Town. West Block. The remnants of the tower.

It all looked so different from what he remembered. So lively. Open. People went back and forth from West Block to Lost Town to the middle of the city, easy.

He sat down, legs criss-crossed, cheek in palm. Had it really been four years? How could something change this much in four years?

_Well,_ he thought, a little chuckle spilling from his lips, _you always were amazing, Shion._


	2. Chapter 1

Underground, there's a small, almost abandoned hallway of rooms - rooms that were homes, though they've been long abandoned now by most for homes above, where the light grows the grass. But inside one, behind a creaky door, soup still simmers and books are worn, mice gather.

This is where Shion lives.

He stays in the small space, desk covered in official papers, mugs on the table. He leaves one out for whoever visits, be it Inukashi or his mother.

The mug is really there for someone else. But he never says so, they all just know.

_Today marks the fourth year he's been gone._ He thinks, the calender on his desk covered in marker.

He knows he'll be back. But four years of absence worries him anyways. And underneath his worry, something almost bitter is there, a longing that's chafted at his mind, scratched the surface few times, each time deeper than the last.

_Where are you?_

_I miss you._

_I've finally caught up to you._

_Have you changed though? Have I only fallen behind again?_

_Nezumi._

He shakes his head to free himself from such thoughts. He has to focus on the tasks at hand - discussing funds and materials with the other cities, spreading free care to those in West Block, finding ways to lower the violence in the area. He's made strides, say the other leaders, but he's not satisfied. West Block still isn't safe, still has a sense of death that follows it, no matter how lightly it's carried in the wind now.

Shion stands. He can't focus today.

Opening the door he waits for Cravat to follow him out, then locks to door - they had insisted on putting a lock on the door, Shion complied - walking upwards until he's in the sun again. The town is bustling, it's afternoon after all, and he wanders the street, mildly aware of the bartering that goes on around him. People wave to say hello, he smiles and says hello back, but continues to his destination.

A number of dogs greet him when he gets to the crumbling hotel, and a few children greet him also. He doesn't see Sion in the mix of them, but he figures he's around.

Inukashi's waiting for him, a cup of water on the table already.

"Figured you'd show up." He mutters. "Always do."

Shion smiles apologetically. "Sorry."

"Stupid, not much to apologize for, though you not cleaning my dogs had given me a hell of a lot more work."

Shion takes a sip. "The kids though, don't they help you?"

"Yeah, but do I look like a daycare service? Those kids keep coming here and I have to watch 'em, else their mamas come crying to me about it. Like it's my fault they do something stupid and get a dog mad at them." He shakes his head. "Year four, huh, Shion? Been a long while since we've seen that stupid rat. Wonder if he went and died or something. Be better off that way."

Shion smiles again, softly, because the harshness of the words are Inukashi's way of missing him. But a reminder of a worry isn't quite what he'd have liked.

"He'll come back, I'm certain of it." Is what he answers. "Nezumi doesn't break promises."

Inukashi gives him a curious look. "What, did he make you a promise to come back or something?"

"Not exactly." Shion says, because in four years he's learned how to keep a secret. Nezumi taught him that, too.

Inukashi gives him a look. "Shion, I'm telling you, it ain't healthy to keep thinking about that guy."

Shion just shakes his head. "I can't help but think about him."

After a pause and a look, Inukashi says, "Yeah. I suppose you couldn't." And then waves his hand flippently. "Just make sure when he comes back that he doesn't scare off the free labor."

"You mean the kids, right?"

"What else would I mean? The dogs? Shion, you haven't gotten any less airheaded, geesh." A slip of a smile before Inukashi pushes him out the door. "Now you gotta go say hi to your mama, am I right? Tell her thanks for the rolls."

"Ah- Inukashi- Thank you."

"There's nothing to thank me for." And Shion walks out, patting Sion on the head when he runs next to him.

* * *

He's not one for sentiment, not like this. But a little tug appears when he sees the white hair in the mix of brown, walking towards Lost Town.

There's another pull at him from somewhere else that screams for him to get away, but that white hair pulls him down and ties him without warning.

He can't stay away anymore.

_Else I would've broken a promise._ He thinks with a wry smile._ And I would never live that down._

* * *

__Notes to be made: Sion is the baby(in the books Inukashi calls the baby the same name as Shion, but it's spelled otherwise for obvious reasons).


End file.
